Students:

Wesley Methodist School,
Malaysia

Teachers:

Top Qualities

Students used the annual theme to identify a relevant and localized issue to address.

Research methods included interviews with experts and companies that are already doing work in the research area, showing clear connections to the local community.

How did you choose your topic?

“People in our country are not aware that it is possible to have a green lifestyle while still living comfortably. They think it is impossible to live without air-conditioning. We are worried, as the exponential increase of energy consumption is affecting the environment. Textile waste makes up 4% of the total waste in landfills in Malaysia.”

“We were curious as to whether there were any new and improved green technology that the people in Malaysia could incorporate to help conserve the environment. After doing some research, we discovered the existence of eco-responsive homes and fabric recycling. So, we chose to focus our topic on eco-friendly homes and fabric recycling, as we feel that these are the easiest and simplest ways people can incorporate green technology into their lives.”

What were your primary ways of collecting research? Please distinguish between primary research and secondary sources?

“For our primary sources, we contacted experts and environmentalists such as Matthias Gelber, to provide us information to help our research. We also had an interview with Faidz Redza, the Sales and Marketing Manager of MCM GreenMan Group Sdn Bhd. ‘MCM GreenMan Group’ is responsible for the GreenMan Tiny Home Project, Malaysia’s First Tiny Eco-Responsive Home. Our research will also come from secondary sources, such as newspaper articles and online research. We have also used Matthias Gelber’s book, “The Greenman’s Guide to Green Living and Working” to conduct our research.”

What is the most important discovery from your project?

“We discovered that these improved efforts to reduce the environmental issues in Malaysia are simple yet effective. If more people utilize these green technologies, we could help make a positive change for the planet and create a better future. From our project, we realized how green choices could be as easy as recycling our old clothes or purchasing a sustainable toilet for the same price as a normal toilet. We aim to change people’s perception that eco-friendly products are cost-prohibitive and an inconvenience.”